Crisis Puts Belgium On Hold

BRUSSELS — In Belgium, where political instability can seem as much a part of the national heritage as chocolate or lace, the government once again is in crisis.

In fact, Prime Minister Wilfried Martens has gone so far as to submit the resignation of his four-party, center-right coalition to King Baudouin. The king rejected the resignation, but national elections scheduled for December have been moved up to Oct. 13.

This means that Martens` coalition, which after 3 1/2 years in office is the longest-running Belgian government in two decades, will pursue only a minimal legislative program in the interim.

The continued deployment of U.S. cruise missiles in Belgium could be at stake in the balloting.

If he is once again chosen to head the government, Martens, a member of the centrist Christian People`s Party, is expected to proceed with deployment of cruise missiles at Florennes, 50 miles south of Brussels. Sixteen were installed there last March as part of a planned eventual deployment of 48.

Cruise and Pershing 2 missiles are being installed in several countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in response to the Soviet deployment of medium-range SS-20 missiles.

But if the Socialist Party should emerge with enough votes to form a coalition, the deployment could face strong opposition. In the past the Socialists have campaigned against the cruise deployment, and it is possible that, if elected, they could ask for removal of missiles already in place.

They would not be governing alone, however, and it is considered unlikely that potential coalition partners would agree to such a reversal.

In this country divided by linguistic, cultural and political differences, even Martens has acknowledged that crises are endemic.

``In Belgium you can always have this kind of problem,`` he said after submitting his government`s resignation in late July. ``It`s a very complicated kind of country.``

But he said that he hopes to be re-elected with the same coalition.

At present the coalition in this bilingual country consists of the French-speaking and Flemish-speaking wings of the Liberal and Christian People`s Parties. Together they hold 113 seats in the 212-member parliament, against 61 for the opposition Socialists.

The parliament has recessed until September as members try to assess what happened to the Martens government, once considered one of the few coalitions that might actually finish its four-year term of office.

Ostensibly the governmental crisis was precipitated by a split in the Cabinet over who should be held accountable for security failures at the European Cup soccer riot May 29 at Heysel Stadium, in which 38 people were killed and 400 injured.

But at the same time, some political observers said, the split may have been fueled by traditional rivalries in Belgian politics.

A Belgian parliamentary inquiry has determined that the riot was started by British supporters of the Liverpool club, but that poor security at the stadium also was a factor in the deaths.

The report implied that Interior Minister Charles Ferdinand Nothomb, a member of Martens` party, should accept political responsibility for the absence of adequate police protection.

Nothomb ignored calls for his resignation. Instead, in a speech in the parliament, he delivered an attack on the British, saying, ``I will speak out severely about the collective responsibility of British society, which tolerates this violence, which accepts it, which tries to channel it without wanting to eliminate it.``

Professing outrage at Nothomb`s refusal to resign, Vice Premier and Justice Minister Jean Gol submitted his resignation in protest. Gol, head of the politically conservative Liberal Party, said: ``It is a matter of political morality. It is immoral that this should end with a general abdication of responsibility.``

Five other Liberal government ministers followed Gol`s example and walked out. With his coalition collapsing, Martens had no choice but to submit his government`s resignation to the king.

But the king, in turn, was faced with a political problem. Voting is compulsory in Belgium, and if elections had been scheduled immediately they would have fallen smack in the middle of the August vacation period when many Belgians are out of the country, or at least away from their homes.

So the king refused the resignation, and the elections were moved to the more suitable month of October.